When a comic strip has been around as long as Peanuts, there are bound to be a lot of changes. The first comic was published on October 2nd, 1950, with the last one running on February 13th, 2000. That makes it one of the longest non-continuous stories ever told in any genre or media form.
Many Peanuts characters became iconic household names, like Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Lucy. But over those 50 years of publication, there were several characters who faded into the background, if not outright disappeared from the picture. This is the kind of thing that happens as a long-term story evolves, leaving parts of that world behind.
10 The Goose Eggs were featured quite prominently so it was odd that they didn't officially show up again
After taking revenge on the Kite-Eating Tree by biting it, Charlie Brown received a rather threatening letter from the EPA. He went on the run, trying to escape the law. Naturally, Charlie Brown ended up managing a baseball team made up of much younger kids named the Goose Eggs.
This group of children popped up primarily in comic strips in 1977, though they may have been used a few times after that. During that run, the Goose Eggs were featured quite prominently so it was odd that they didn't officially show up again.
9 Poochie managed to make it into one of the Sunday strips, which was a pretty big deal
Long before Poochie tried to destroy The Itchy & Scratchy Show, a different Poochie popped up in Peanuts in 1972. This little blonde girl had lived in the neighborhood for a few years, but moved away and came back. Snoopy actually disliked her from the old days.
Over the next few weeks, Poochie was used quite frequently in the comics but faded away equally quickly. Her last official appearance was in January of 1973. Though she did manage to make it into one of the Sunday strips, which was a pretty big deal.
8 José Peterson only recently reappeared in the mobile game, Snoopy's Town Tale
First appearing in 1967, José Peterson was a member of Peppermint Patty's baseball team. They split off from Charlie Brown's team because they actually wanted to win. And Charlie Brown wasn't really known as a winner. Losing was kind of his thing.
Schulz reputedly created José because he dreamt of having a half Mexican, half Swedish character in the comic. That didn't last long, though, as José disappeared from Peanuts in 1969. He only recently reappeared in the mobile game, Snoopy's Town Tale.
7 Charlotte Braun's final comic strip appearance was in 1955
Developing Peanuts was an ongoing process for Charles Schulz. There were a lot of characters who were introduced but just didn't click. Charlotte Braun was one of them. Designed to be Charlie Brown's female counterpart, Charlotte was much louder and domineering than him.
Fans did not respond well to Charlotte, with one person asking him to get rid of her. His letter back to the fan asking her if she was okay with killing a child is actually in the Smithsonian. Charlotte's final comic strip appearance was in 1955.
6 Shermy's final appearance was in June 1969, even though he wasn't a factor for nearly a decade prior to that
When fans think of Charlie Brown's closest human friends, they think of Linus and Schroeder. But in the 1950s and '60s, there was also Shermy. He actually appeared in the first comic strip in 1950 alongside Charlie Brown and Patty.
But Shermy didn't have a particularly memorable personality and faded into the background quite quickly as more characters were introduced. His final appearance was in June 1969, even though he wasn't a factor for nearly a decade prior to that.
5 Patty didn't quite make the full run
Anyone who has read Peanuts or watched the cartoons should be quite familiar with Peppermint Patty. But Patty is not Peppermint Patty, which isn't confusing at all. Patty debuted in 1950 in the very first comic strip. She was well known for being quite mean to Charlie Brown as well as being friends with Violet.
While Patty was a major force in the comics for many years, she was used less and less as time went by. Peanuts came to an end in 2000 but Patty's last appearance was in a 1997 comic. She didn't quite make the full run.
4 Violet Gray's final appearance was in a 1997 strip
Another early female character in the series, Violet Gray, first popped up in 1951. After Charlie Brown, Patty, Shermy, and Snoopy, she was the first new character to be introduced to the series. Oddly enough, she pulled the football away from Charlie Brown years before Lucy did.
As other female characters were developed and became more popular, Violet Gray was used less and less. While her final appearance was in a 1997 strip, Violet had barely appeared for many years at that point and was primarily in the background when she did.
3 While Eudora is generally considered to be the last new major character to be introduced in the comic, she still made her final appearance in 1987
After appearing for the first time in 1978, Eudora became a prominent character quite quickly. She moved to town from another state and immediately connected with Charlie Brown's younger sister, Sally. She even played on Charlie Brown's baseball team, taking the field position once held by Frieda.
But the pendulum swings both ways. Eudora may have become prominent quite quickly but she also faded away quickly as well. While she is generally considered to be the last new major character to be introduced in the comic, she still made her final appearance in 1987.
2 Charles Schulz came to the conclusion that Frieda added little to the ongoing story & phased her out
In 1961, a new member was added to Charlie Brown's roster of friends named Frieda. She was a little girl who was often depicted as having red hair, not to be confused with Charlie Brown's perennial love interest, the Little Red-Haired Girl.
After several years of relative prominence, she began to fade into the background in the 1970s and made her final appearance in 1985. Charles Schulz came to the conclusion that she added little to the ongoing story and phased her out.
1 Belle still had a surprisingly huge cultural impact
One of the best running gags in the comics related directly to Snoopy's odd beagle family. While there have been several beagles shown over the years, the most prominent of them was Snoopy's older brother, Spike. But Snoopy also had a sister named Belle.
Belle only made a few appearances in the comic strip between 1976 and 1981. But she still had a surprisingly huge cultural impact. Major designers made clothes inspired by Snoopy and Belle, and popular stuffed toys based on Belle were also produced well into the 1980s.